Frozen Ever After Reopens at EPCOT and the Crowds Are Already Out of Control

If you’ve been anywhere near EPCOT this morning, you probably already know what the biggest story of the day is.

Frozen Ever After is officially back open.

And in true Disney fashion, guests didn’t just casually wander over to check it out… they stampeded toward Norway like it was the grand opening of a brand-new ride. Even though Frozen Ever After has been part of EPCOT since 2016, this reopening has been treated like a major event—and judging by the crowds, it’s pretty clear why.

After being closed for refurbishment since late January, Frozen Ever After reopened this morning, and the wait times instantly jumped to the kind of numbers you normally only see on the busiest holiday weeks. The moment guests realized it was running again, World Showcase started feeling less like a relaxing stroll around the lagoon and more like a full-on race to Arendelle.

And yes… the lines are already intense.

Guests Are Rushing to Norway for the First Look at the Updates

Frozen Ever After reopened at EPCOT early this morning, and by 9:15 a.m., the standby wait time had already reached 95 minutes. That’s not a “slow build” kind of number either—that’s a “people were waiting for this” kind of number.

Even more shocking? The line wasn’t just contained within the Norway Pavilion.

It reportedly stretched well beyond Norway, pushing past the China Pavilion and continuing into the Africa section of World Showcase. That’s a massive overflow for EPCOT, especially in the morning when many guests are still entering the park and deciding what to do first.

But today, there really wasn’t much deciding happening.

Guests knew exactly where they wanted to go.

The second Frozen Ever After reopened, Norway became the hottest destination in the entire park.

The Ride Closed in Late January, and Fans Have Been Waiting for This Moment

The closure began on January 26, when Frozen Ever After went down for a refurbishment that had been heavily anticipated by fans.

For weeks, guests had been hearing that something big was coming—something that would finally fix one of the ride’s most debated features. Even though Frozen Ever After has remained one of EPCOT’s most popular attractions, it’s also been criticized for relying on projection-based faces for its main characters.

Those projections worked… but not always perfectly.

And Disney clearly knew it.

The refurbishment lasted just over two weeks, and now that it’s complete, EPCOT fans are finally getting to see what Disney has been working on behind the scenes.

And based on how quickly that wait time shot up, people are not wasting any time getting over there.

The Biggest Change Is the New Audio-Animatronics

So what’s actually new?

Disney’s refurbishment focused on upgrading several of the ride’s key Audio-Animatronic figures—specifically Anna, Elsa, and Kristoff. Instead of using projection-based faces, the characters now have fully articulated heads featuring silicone skin.

That might sound like a small detail if you don’t know Disney ride tech, but it’s actually a massive upgrade.

These new figures are designed to look far more lifelike and closer to the characters guests recognize from Frozen(2013). Instead of relying on projected facial animation, the characters now move more naturally, and their expressions look more realistic in the lighting.

This is the kind of change that Disney fans obsess over because it makes the difference between a figure looking like a theme park robot… and a figure looking like it stepped right out of the movie.

And that’s exactly what Disney wanted here.

Disney Also Updated Lighting and Refreshed Parts of the Ride

The updates didn’t stop at the new character heads.

According to reports, Disney also refreshed show lighting and touched up sets throughout the attraction. That’s a pretty big deal because Frozen Ever After is already known for its detailed environments, icy effects, and glowing winter atmosphere.

So when Disney adjusts the lighting, it can completely change how scenes feel—especially in darker sections of the ride where projections and effects can sometimes look washed out.

This refurbishment also included updates to the ride’s show control system, which likely means the timing, movement, and overall flow of scenes should be smoother than before.

In other words, this wasn’t just a cosmetic upgrade.

Disney went in and gave Frozen Ever After a legitimate refresh.

Disney Imagineering Says the New Elsa Figure Is “Chilling” in the Best Way

One of the biggest comments surrounding the reopening came from Disney Imagineering’s Ken Ricci, who described seeing the updated Elsa figure before reopening.

According to Ricci, he was “in awe” and even said he “got chills” looking at her, explaining that she now looks like she stepped right off the screen.

And honestly… that’s exactly the kind of reaction Disney wants fans to have.

Because Frozen Ever After isn’t just another EPCOT ride. It’s a centerpiece attraction in the Norway Pavilion, and it’s been a must-do for families ever since it replaced Maelstrom.

So when Disney finally decides to upgrade the main figures, the expectation is high. Guests want this ride to feel like a modern Disney masterpiece, not something that looks outdated compared to newer attractions.

Now, it sounds like Disney is trying to push Frozen Ever After into that “next level” category.

These Updates Match What Disney Has Done Overseas

One reason this upgrade is getting so much attention is because Disney fans have seen similar technology in other parks.

The updated figures are reportedly inspired by the animatronics featured at World of Frozen in Hong Kong Disneyland. That land has been praised for having incredibly realistic versions of Anna and Elsa, with smoother movement and more believable facial features.

So when rumors started swirling that EPCOT’s Frozen Ever After could get similar treatment, Disney fans immediately started hoping for the best.

Now, that upgrade has officially arrived.

And the crowds this morning suggest that EPCOT guests are just as excited as the hardcore fans who have been following the refurbishment updates for weeks.

The Storyline Has Not Changed

Before anyone panics (or gets overly excited), it’s important to know that the ride experience itself remains the same.

The story and overall flow of Frozen Ever After is unchanged from the original 2016 version.

Guests still board boats and float through Arendelle scenes featuring Anna, Elsa, Olaf, Kristoff, Sven, and of course the famous Frozen soundtrack. The big moments are still there, including Elsa’s iconic “Let It Go” sequence.

So this isn’t a reimagining or a full ride overhaul.

It’s more like Disney finally giving Frozen Ever After the polish it should have had all along.

Wait Times Could Stay High for a While

If you’re heading to EPCOT anytime soon, you should probably expect this ride to stay busy.

The reopening is still fresh, and Disney fans love a “first day back” moment. Even guests who weren’t originally planning to ride Frozen Ever After are likely going to jump in line just to see what the update looks like.

And once videos start spreading online, the hype is only going to grow.

This is especially true because Frozen Ever After already tends to hold some of the highest wait times in EPCOT on normal days. It’s not uncommon for the attraction to sit at 60 to 90 minutes even when the park isn’t slammed.

So now that it has brand-new upgrades and a reopening buzz, it’s not surprising at all that the wait time was already pushing 95 minutes before most guests even finished their morning coffee.

EPCOT’s Norway Pavilion Just Became the Main Attraction Again

For a while, EPCOT’s Norway Pavilion has had a very predictable routine.

Guests would grab a snack, check out the Frozen meet-and-greet, maybe browse the gift shop, and then either wait forever for Frozen Ever After or skip it altogether.

But today?

Norway is the place to be.

With Frozen Ever After finally reopened, it feels like EPCOT’s World Showcase is experiencing one of those rare moments where a pavilion becomes the main event. The crowds stretching all the way toward China and Africa prove just how much demand this ride still has, even after nearly a decade.

And now that Disney has refreshed the characters and improved the visuals, Frozen Ever After may be about to enter a whole new era of popularity.

Because if the ride already pulled massive waits before… imagine what happens now that it has brand-new, more realistic animatronics.

EPCOT guests have waited a long time to see Frozen Ever After get this kind of attention.

And judging by the chaos in World Showcase this morning, they were more than ready.